Hi- Fi amps on a shoe string budget?

[admin_exported]

Hello what Hifi users! I am new to both the Hifi Field and this fourm so please be gentle for a first poster.

I have just picked up a pair of Warfendale 9.0's @ £39.99 and am now on the hunt for an amp to run them off but on a limited (<£100) budget. At the moment we have them hooked up to my flatmates Hitachi AX M66 Hifi and they are sounding preaty good (actualy incredible for the money- beat my £60 Senheiser HD555 headphones into the floor). Now I need to sort out my own amp. I am planning to use them hooked up for a PC for music, films and games as a set of PC speakers.

I have been looking through the amp market- both new and used and was suprised at how poor choice there actualy was- particularly second hand at my price point. I would apreciate it if you could give me verdictcs on the following amps I found and rank them. Sugestions for the sub £100 price range are very much apreciated.

New

Cambridge Audio TOPAZ AM5 At+ 100 I dont want to strech the cash this far but its one of the only decent brand amps I could find at a good price

Renkforce mini-HiFi-amplifier E-SA Its small. Its inexpensive. It has some good amazon reviews but low output (12w to 75 wt max dimonds).

Used

Tangent AMP-50 Pros- some reviews around the net say its ok. Higher output wt to speakers and better looking audio imput but no remote included

Denon DRA-F100 Hi-fi Pros- Good brand name and good output but its from 2001 and still £60 + shipping?!!!

And finaly

Yamaha RX V350 Amplifier Its an AVR amp, not hifi and I have seen moaning about the sound quality of AVR's vs HIFI on here but it does have a good output W rating and seams to be in good condition and even includes the remote
Yamaha RX V350 Amplifier Its an AVR amp, not hifi and I have seen moaning about the sound quality of AVR's vs HIFI on here but it does have a good output W rating and seams to be in good condition and even includes the remote

 

[Electro]

Hi, Have you thought of using a ' T ' AMP . or Tripath amp ?

There are many for sale on Ebay but this is one I have heard and can recommend .

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mini-T-T-Amp-HiFi-Audio-Amplifier-2A-PSU-TA2020-UK-/170712361002?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Amplifiers&hash=item27bf3fe82a

It will drive the Wharfedales nicely and should sound far better than any of the amps you mention and is a bargain at £65 brand new from a UK seller .

It is very small and light and comes with a power supply which is ideal for sticking next to your computer .

For a little extra you can have a version with a larger power supply which is well worth it !

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mini-T-T-Amp-HiFi-Audio-Amplifier-5A-PSU-TA2020-UK-/170712360705?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Amplifiers&hash=item27bf3fe701

Believe me when I say that they are very very good .

 

[Anonymous]

Try to see if you can get either an Arcam Alpha 5, 6 or 7 integrated amp or, if you're able to save a little more (not much) a NAD C320BEE amp

The NAD is a superb amp and is one that you could upgrade speakers and sources around it and it'll still do very well!

 

[the record spot]

Shop around on Ebay, there's plenty of decent older amps to choose from. My personal experience led me down Sansui's classic amps and their AU-217 would be a good one. I had one till recently and it worked brilliantly well with my CDP and Mission 752 speakers. A very contemporary sound and if you only need up to three inputs, it's a sound option (for your sounds, boom boom!).

 

[Anonymous]

Great looking Yamaha CA-800 on eBay at the moment - that would give you some serious class A sound for the money. Usual vintage drawbacks apply, but they are built like tanks and have a lovely clean but rich sound. Might be a bit over budget though after postage.

 

[lindsayt]

The trouble with all the T amps or Tripath amps that I've heard is that they make pianos sound all wrong. They're OK for rock and pop, but even then I'd take the aforementioned Sansui, or a Creek CAS4040 or A&R A60 or Nytech or Marantz PM 4 or Pioneer A 400 or Crimson 510 with 530 over a T amp.

 

[Electro]

The trouble with all the T amps or Tripath amps that I've heard is that they make pianos sound all wrong. They're OK for rock and pop

A bit of a generalization perhaps ? 🙂

I can't say I have found this problem at all with the model I suggested in fact far from it .

I also own a pop pulse T 150 that uses the 2022 chip and IMO this is superior especially in the mid range to most amps costing £500 and sounds more like a good £1000 amp

Which models have you heard that exhibit this problem and what was the equipment used with them just out of interest ?